Love of Many
by Drakel Kasumi
Summary: When Sakura accepts Lee's marriage request Naruto runs to Suna to be with Gaara. The only love he has left in his life. Just when things start getting serious between the two a criminal is apprehended. The guys both recognize her as their childhood crush
1. Gaara's Childhood

Loneliness…

That was all Gaara had ever known in his life. All the kids in the village hated him and called him a monster. Even his uncle betrayed him when he had the chance. After that he didn't trust anyone. Nor did he believe in love. The concept now was so foreign he completely ignored it. Love at first sight? Only in fairy tales… or so he thought, until today.

Gaara was walking down the streets of Suna. Completely ignoring the glares of adults and children alike. He was heading to the playground. He always sat there on the same swing & hugged his teddy bear tight. He had grown quite attached to his teddy bear since it never complained about his demon or being with him. Unfortunately for Gaara though there had recently been some boys that wanted to prove how tough they were. So they constantly attacked him and made a mockery of him. He hadn't seen them in a few days since the last time he had hurt one of the boys badly. So he hoped they were going to leave him alone for good. Unfortunately that wasn't the case because as soon as he got to the playground he spotted the group of boys that had been tormenting him.

The leader of the boys had short dark teal hair and slightly lighter teal eyes. Those eyes that held no sympathy for the child he and his friends were hurting. The rest of the group just looked like imitations of their leader.

He tried to leave quickly, but the older boys caught up to him and wrenched his teddy bear away from him, and grabbed him by the arms.

"No!" Gaara screamed. His sand was attacking the boys, but they wouldn't let go.

"Aw! Hello to you too!" The leader said "I bet you missed us so much while we tended to Ralf's wounds that you gave him!" As he said this he started ripping the bear's seams.

"No!! Get off him!! Stop!!" Gaara screamed. Increasing his attacks and starting to cry.

"Never…" The leader said and dropped the bear into the sand.

The leader came up and punched Gaara in the gut.

The sand pushed the leader back and was able to take the other boys off-guard and push them away too.

Suddenly the leader turned around and gasped. "Guys! We're leaving! Now!!" He yelled and ran. Standing a little behind where the leader had been standing was a little girl. About the same age as Gaara.

She had long black hair and deep crystal blue eyes. She was wearing the normal Suna attire, but anyone could tell she wasn't from Suna.

"What the…?" The other kids yelled running after their leader.

Gaara looked at the boys as they ran away. He was in complete shock. These boys that had tormented him for so long had just… run away after seeing this girl? He looked at her again to see if anything was wrong with her. He didn't see anything wrong with her, except pure innocent beauty. His stomach suddenly felt all funny. It was as if millions of little butterflies were flying around in his stomach.

The girl walked over to his teddy bear and picked it up. She brushed the sand and dirt off it and noticed the tears. "I believe this is yours" She said walking over to him "and if you want I can fix those tears on it" She smiled the most beautiful smile he had ever seen and the butterflies fluttered around his stomach excitedly.

The girl walked over to him and said "Here. Let's sit on these swings while I stitch it up". She grabbed his hand and led him over to the swings.

He sat in his normal swing while she sat in the one next to him.

"You're lucky. My mom just finished teaching me how to stitch, and told me how I may need to know one day. Guess it really does come in handy!" She said after awhile.

Gaara had just sat there in complete awe of her. He was engrossed in every move she made. He hadn't even realized that she had finished stitching her bear until she giggled at his expression. He realized that he had been staring and quickly looked away blushing.

"You know…" She said looking up at the sky and then back down at Gaara "You're pretty cute"

Gaara blushed even more when she said that.

"So… what's your name?" The girl asked.

"Gaara…" He answered. He realized then that he didn't even know her name, or why she was here.

"Um… so what's your name?" He asked rather shyly.

"Oh! I'm sorry! My name is Drakel" She answered.

"So what are you doing in Suna?" He asked.

"Oh! My parents are here to vist some friends" She said smiling.

"So will you be staying here long?" Gaara asked hopefully.

Drakel looked down sadly "Actually today's my last day here".

Gaara's heart sank as he heard this news.

Drakel could see that the news she had told him proved to be very saddening, and she didn't want to see Gaara sad. "But…. I promise to beg my parents to come back here very soon!" She said hopefully.

Gaara looked at her with renewed hope in his eyes. "Promise?" he asked desperately.

"Promise" Drakel said smiling. She looked back up at the sky and said "It's getting late, and I've got to go before they start to worry about me".

"Don't forget me" Gaara said as she got off the swing.

Drakel stepped over to Gaara and kissed him on the forehead. "Never" She said and ran off.

Gaara didn't even try to hide his blush and he watched Drakel, who he had just met that day, walk off into the beautiful Suna sunset. It was then that he recognized this feeling in his stomach, and that he understood the butterflies in his stomach. It was Love.


	2. Naruto's Childhood

Rejection…

That was all Naruto had known his entire life. The village rejected and insulted him. To Naruto it seemed nobody cared if he lived or died. He longed for the loving touch of a parent and their kind words, but all he got was cruel words spat at him and people beating him up. Kids thought it was funny to hurt him, and call him names like their parents. Sometimes Naruto would retaliate and end up hurting someone. Then he would be shunned even more. It seemed like he was in an endless tunnel that he couldn't escape from with the cold darkness closed tightly around him, and absolutely no light. Then one day it was like all the darkness left all at once and he was surrounded by the Suns light and warmth.

Naruto was sitting alone on a swing near the Ninja Academy entrance. He always sat there when he wanted to be alone. Nobody really cared about him, so he wasn't bothered when he sat there. He would occasionally cause trouble, but that was because people actually noticed him then. As he looked around he noticed some people approaching and he quick jumped into the tree from where the swing hung. He waited until the people passed by before sighing in relief.

"Hey there!" A girl's voice said from behind him.

Naruto jumped and fell to the ground. 'Ow…' He thought as he rubbed his now sore butt.

"Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you!" The girl said in a worried tone as she jumped down from the tree "Are you alright? Did you get hurt?"

"No… I'm fine" Naruto said stubbornly. He didn't need some girl to worry about him. Though he did enjoy the sweet sound of the girl's voice.

"I really am sorry! Please don't be mad with me" she said desperately.

'Why is this girl so desperate for me to forgive her? Does she know who I am?' He wondered. "I'm not mad…, but why are you so desperate?" Naruto asked.

"I don't have any friends to play with…" She answered looking down.

Naruto saw nothing wrong with playing with the girl since she obviously wasn't from Konaha or else she'd be avoiding him. "Don't you know who I am?" Naruto asked. Just to make sure.

"Nope... So what is your name?" The girl asked.

"Naruto" He answered.

"That's a nice name. Mine is Drakel" She said.

"Are you new to Konaha?" Naruto asked.

"Kind of, I don't live here if that's what you meant" Drakel said with a smile "My parents are here visiting some friends. We live in a city about half way between Suna and Konaha".

Naruto wasn't quite sure where Suna was, but approximated she must not live too far away. He looked over at Drakel and noticed she had pretty long black hair and ocean blue eyes. He really liked her smile. Then, just when he was about to say something about it his stomach growled rather loudly.

Drakel looked at his tummy as he covered it with his hand and she giggled.

"Hehehe…" Naruto started nervously "Sorry about that. I haven't eaten since breakfast and it's almost evening".

"Then let's go find a place to eat at!" She said grabbing his hand and headed for the main part of Konaha. They both looked around until they found the shopping district. They looked at the different stands, but none appealed to Drakel. Finally they came to a ramen shop that looked very well kept. "Let's eat here!" She said running over and grabbing a seat.

Naruto quickly ran over to join her since he didn't want to be away from her. He looked around and noticed it was a new shop and he sighed in relief. He hoped that the store owner hadn't yet heard about him and wouldn't kick him out. Thus embarrassing himself in front of Drakel again.

The store owner turned around and smiled seeing his new young customers. "Hello there! And welcome to the Ichiraku Ramen's grand opening day!! What can I get for you fine children?" He asked enthusiastically.

Drakel and Naruto smiled at the middle-aged man's enthusiasm. "Pork-miso, please" Drakel said.

Naruto had never really eaten ramen before. So he decided to get what Drakel was getting.

"Alrighty. Two Pork-miso's coming right up" He said and got to work.

Naruto remembered his conversation with Drakel from earlier, and how she was talking about her parents visiting some friends in Konaha. "You're very lucky…" He said in almost a whisper.

"How so?"

"You've got parents who can care for you" he said with the smallest hint of pleading in his tone that only a long-time friend could pick up.

"I can share mine if you want" She said flashing her smile.

Naruto was surprised that she didn't even hesitate to share her parents with him. He also inquired silently as to why she didn't ask about his parents, but decided she was being nice.

The store owner placed their pork-miso's in front of them and said "Here you go kids! Tell me what you think of it. Being new here and all I want to know what I need to do to improve the flavor".

Drakel had some of it and her face lit up brightly. "Mmm! It's delicious!! I think it's perfect the way it is!" She said enthusiastically.

Naruto saw Drakels reaction and wondered if it was really _that_ good. He took a few bites of his and immediately loved it. "Wow! This really is amazing! I agree with Drakel" He said smiling.

With that a girl walked out from the back and stared at Naruto and Drakel for a moment before turning to the owner. "Customers?" She asked him.

The store owner nodded and said "Yep. They love it and it's all thanks to you helping me my wonderful daughter".

The store owners' daughter smiled and returned to the back of the store.

Drakel finished her ramen rather quickly and noticed Naruto had barely eaten any of his. "Hurry up and eat slow poke! A _girl _was able to beat you!" She taunted with a half smile, half smirk.

This immediately got Naruto to quickly eat his ramen.

Naruto and Drakel thanked the store owner for the wonderful food and Drakel paid him the money. They then left and headed back to the tree they had met at and sat up in one of its branches, admiring the beautiful sunset. Well… Drakel was. Naruto was busy secretly admiring her.

"I have to go and meet up with my parents now" Drakel said looking over at him.

"Will you come back?" He asked looking at her eyes as they shined, reflecting the sunsets' rays.

"Of course! This place is amazing" She said.

Naruto blushed and asked quietly, while trying to hide his blush, "You won't forget me… right?"

Drakel leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and whispered "Never". With that she jumped off the branch and ran off in search of her parents.

Naruto's blush had turned from a light rose color to a deep tomato red. He watched her run off and remembered her words. Never…


	3. During the timelapse

Neither Naruto nor Gaara ever saw that little girl again, but she changed their lives forever.

She inspired Naruto to try and be a ninja, and he applied for the academy when he was old enough. He also continued to return to the ramen shop where Drakel and he had went to eat that one day. Eventually the sign was put up and the stores name was Ichiraku.

Gaara was never again tormented by those kids again but he still had to deal with his dad. So even though Naruto gained all of his friends Gaara was still dealing with his loneliness, but the boys dreamed of the day the girl would return.

It came to a point for both where they completely gave up on ever seeing her again.

Naruto then began liking Sakura and Gaara turned to himself for love and killing became his obsession. Lives went on until during the Chunin Exams and Naruto and Gaara met. Naruto was able to make Gaara's life turn for the better and they became extremely close friends. Both of them felt like there was some kind of bond that kept them together. Something that was deeper then friendship, but neither was willing to admit to the other.

Between the time of Gaara becoming Kazekage and Naruto returning from his 2 year training with Jiraiya the Akatsuki had been completely wiped out. Every few months another Akatsuki body was found until all the known Akatsuki were dead; Deidara, Hidan, Kakuzu, Sasori, Zetsu, Kisame, Itachi (much to Sasukes' disappointment), Konan, and all the Peins. Not many know who killed the Akatsuki. Many thought they had it coming to them and they'd die sooner or later. The Kage of each nation was given possible candidates for each member's killer, but it is still unknown.

Gaara's demon was never taken and all the other Jinchuriki's are still alive.

Naruto visits Suna almost every chance he gets and he tries to go on all the missions concerning Suna.


End file.
